Side Quests
There are several side quests in Pokemon Platinum that you can do including the Jublife TV Lottery and the hunt for the Macho Brace to obtaining new Player Cards and catching Drifloon
Jublife TV Lottery
Head to Jublife City and go north to the large building with the TV atop it You can only enter if you have at least one badge Talk to the lady at the front desk and she'll give you a ticket with 5 digits Starting with the far right digit the game will scan your Pokemon for that number and continue to the next digit There are five prizes depending on how many numbers you matched:
Match all five: Master Ball
Match four: Max Revive
Match three: EXP Share
Match two: PP Up
Match one: Background for Contests
Drifloon
Drifloon a new Ghost type Pokemon only appears on Friday at the Valley Windworks east of Floaroma Town It appears during the day but stays until 12:00 AM on Saturday
To catch Drifloon bring a lower level Pokemon(10 to 14 works well) who can damage Ghost types False Swipe will not work
The Newspaper Company
Head to Solaceon Town's Pokemon Center and talk to the man at the desk - each day he'll ask for one of the Sinnoh Dex Pokemon to write about Once you talk to him you only have until 11:59 PM to bring him the requested Pokemon - if you do he'll give you three of any of the available balls in Pokemon Platinum
NOTE: You can not obtain Park Balls Master Balls or Cherish Balls from the Newspaper Company man
To help in determining what type of balls you get save just before you hand him the Pokemon If you don't get the type you want reload and hand him the Pokemon again - you should get a different type
Veilstone Pokemon Massages
In Veilstone City there is a pair of houses in the lower left section of town The left-hand one is where the Pokemon Massage Lady lives - each day she'll give one Pokemon a massage This increases that Pokemon's Happiness and you'll receive one of many contest items You can obtain the following at random:
Sparks
Mystic Fire
Glitter Powder
Snow Crystal
Shimmering FIre
Pretty Dewdrop
Determination
Puffy Smoke
Spring
Wealthy Coin
Humming Note
Peculiar Spoon
Eerie Thing
Poison Extract
Seashell
Shiny Powder
Again if you save before you get the massage you can control what item you get by reloading if you don't get the one you want
Seven Star Restaurant
South of the gate at the Lake Valor Lakefront Resort is the Seven Star Restaurant The trainers here change each day and it is open from 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM There are a few important things to make note of:
All battles that take place in the Seven Star Restaurant are 2 on 2
You don't obtain any items from defeating all of the trainers per day - it's simply a great way to increase your EXP
All the trainers are high level 20s to 30s
NOTE: To drastically improve the amount of EXP a Pokemon receives place all but one in the box on Someone's PC and fight the 2 on 2 battles as 2 on 1
Berry NPCs
There are three NPCs that will give you a random berry each day These NPCs are located in the following locations:
Floaroma Accessory Shop: The brunette woman to the right as you enter She gives out common berries
Route 208: He gives out random berries mostly common with a few exceptions
Pastora City: In the house near the entrance to Route 212 She gives out less common berries
If you want to have some control over which berry you receive save before you talk to them and reload the game until you get the berry you want
Effects of the National Pokedex
There are three things that will occur once you get the National Pokedex
First the Trophy Garden will expand Talk to the owner of the mansion in the right wing to have up to two Pokemon appear - again this is somewhat controlled by saving before talking to him There is no time limitations on the Pokemon here either
Secondly swarms will begin to occur in random places in Sinnoh You can find out where they are by talking to Dawn's sister or watching the TV It changes every day at 12:00 AM and is not controlled by saving and reloading
Last the Pal Park opens on Route 226 - from there you can transfer Pokemon from GBA games every 24 hours You have to wait a full 24 hours before transferring from that game again - changing the DS clock resets the countdown until you can trade again.